Conveyer



c. E. SOREANSEN 1,821.119

CONVEYER Filed Feb. 18.A 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 1, 1931.

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CONVEYER 2 Sheets--Sh'eeL Filed F'eb.

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Patented Sept. 1, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE f CHARLES E. SORENSEN, OF DETROIT, MLC-IGAN, ASSGNOR TO FORD IiIOTOR COMPANY, i

F FOBCDSON, MCHGAN, A CORPRATON 0F DEL-AW'ARE CONVEYER Application filed February 18, 1929.-Sera1 No. 341,021.

rlhe object of my invention is to provide a conveyer of simple, durable, and inexpensive construction. y

A further object of my invention is to provide a conveyer which is adapted to transfer chips and cuttings from the various machines used in a manufacturing plant, and which is also adapted to transfer the cutting fluid used with the machines so .-Lf' that the cost of disposing of these two materials will be reduced to a minimum.

In the modern manufacturing plant, one

of the major expenses incurred is the cost of carrying away the chips produced by the various machines used. A further expense is incurred due to the enormous amount of piping required to carry the cutting fluid, normally soda water, which is used to cool the machine tools, to central settling tanks where it is again piped to the various machines. I It has become general practice inlarge manufacturing plants to pipe the cutting fiuid, normally soda Water, under pressure to each individual machine by overhead piping where the fluid is directed through nozzles onto the cutting tools. Thisis comparatively easy to accomplish as the pipes may be relatively small for a great quantity of the cutting fluid due to the pressure usually placed on the system.

rlhe returning of this water from the machines to a central settling tank is, however, a much more difficult matter asrthe water must iow by gravity from each machine. There is further, a considerable quantity of chips and other material in the'soda water which makes its return transfer extremely difficult. The method commonly used for the return piping is to place holes in the floor of the building at each machine and to extend a large pipe therethrough which connects with a large main pipe suspended from the ceiling of the floor below and which conveys the return water to a main settling tank. It will readily be seen that it is very expensive to install this return system, due to the reinforced construction of the floors in the modern manufacturing building and that when this system is once installed it does not lend itself to changes which may be made necessary inthe future. Further, these return mains from time to time become clogged with chips and the like and considerable expense is necessary to clean these lines out and insure continuous ,operation of the system.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a chip conveyer which may be installed in an existing building without` extensive alterations being necessary to the building. v

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a chip conveyer which may be manufactured in units and adapted to be set up in any ordinary manufacturing space and to which additions may be easily made when necessary. e v

A further object of my invention is to provide a chip conveyer whichvwill receive the chips and soda water from the machines and which will convey the chips in one direction whilethevwater is conveyed in the opposite direction. n

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a chip conveyer wherein the upper portion of the conveyer is utilized to carry chips from machines and the bottom portion is used asa trough to convey the cutting fluid and thereby. eliminate the return piping ordinarilyrnecessary.for said water. In my improved system the top conveyer line acts as a sieve through which the soda water filters to the bottom of the unit and is there carried in the opposite direction by the return conveyer line, together with any chips which may filter through with the water.4 The system is thus kept free from chips and suitable for continuous operation.

Still a further object of my invention is to provide a conveyer system in which each conveyer apron is fastened to the side chains without special attachment, the chain pin being used for this attachment.

,Still a further object'of my invention is to provide a novel conveyer layout in a manufacturing plant,which will eliminate the manual handling of all surplus materials connected with the manufacturing machines, V

and which will provide ample aisle space for each machine for bringing the rough stock to the machine and returning the finished product. In my improved layout I provide a trunk conveyer into which branch conveyer lines discharge, the branch conveyer lines having machines placed on each side thereof and into which the chips from the machine together with the soda water is run; the whole arrangement being so that ample aisle space is provided between the rows of machines.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists inthe arrangement, conibination, and construction of the various parts of my improved device, as described in the specification, claimed in the claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of my improved device i`n which a main conveyer system, branch lines and machines are shown- Figure 2 shows a view-of the junction of a branch line with the main conveyer line, parts being broken away to better illustrate the construction.

Figure 3 shows afvertical, central, longitudinal, sectional View taken through the conveyer system, illustrating the construction of the 'conveyor trays.

Figure 4 shows a vertical, sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 shows a sectional View taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally a trunk conveyer line having branch lines 11 extending from either side thereof. A number of machines 12 shown in dotted lines, are placed on each side of each conveyer lines 11, and have suitable means for discharging the chips and soda water used with each machine into the adjacent conveyer line 11.

Main aisleways 13 run parallel to an alternate with `the trunk conveyer line 10, and branch aisleways 14- extend from the. main aisleways parallel to and alternate with the branch conveyer lines 11.

It may be seen from Figure 1, that ample aisle space is provided adjacent to each machine and that the conveyor system, even though placed directly on the floor, in no way interferes with the movement of supplies and transfer of the finished pieces from the machines. The conveyer system forms a network of transportation members which are used exclusively to carry the chips and soda water from the machines, while the alternate aisleways are used exclusively to carry the finished part-s and stock to and from these machines. j l l vThe trunk conveyor line 10 may extend out from the building through any suitable opening and discharge into a chip receiving car 40.

From the foregoing it may be seen that each machine discharges its chips and soda water, used with the cutting tools, into the adjacent branch conveyer 11 which carries the chips to the trunk conveyer 10 and discharges them therein. The trunk conveyer in turn conveys the chips to the car 39. rl`he soda water is not carried with the chips to the trunk conveyor but ilters through openings in the conveyer trays to the bottom of the conveyer unit and it there carried away from the trunk conveyer to the opposite end of the branch line by the returning trays, and is drawn from the outer end of each branch conveyer to a main settling tank.

The conveyor proper consists of' a channel shaped trough 15 which extends the lengt-h of the couveyer syst-em. Angle irons 1G are secured te the inside face of the upright members ofthe trough 15 about midway thereof. Splash plates 17 are secured to the top edges of channel sides of trough l15 and are reinforced by suitable members 18, the plates 17 and reinforcement 18 extending the full length of the conveyer. At intervals of four or five feet braces 19 are fastened to the lower edge of the angles 1G and form a tie rod which prevents the trough 15 from expanding or collapsing due to the strain of the conveyer system placed therein.

The extending arms 20 of angle 16 project inwardly, and a suitable track 21 is secured to the upper face of these arms. A similar track 22 is secured in the bottom of the trough 1.5 and is used for the return conveyor track.

The foregoing description is intended to bring out a construction having a. trough extending `the full length of the conveyor and in'which two tracks are placed one above the other and which has suitable splash guard members extending over the top thereof to guide the incoming materia to the central part of the trough.

The conveyer chain and tray assembly consists of a series of duplicate trays sccured to each other at each end and fastened to the chains at each side of each tray. The trays are also designed so that material will not be able to collect in between the trays.

The tray is formed from sheet metal into a shallow rectangular pan having integral complementary guard portions at each end thereof. The rear wall 24E of the tray is curved so as to extend over Jthe forward wall 25 of the follow ing tray so that there is no opening for chips to collect between the trays. The sidewalls 26 of the trays 23 extend beyond the tray proper and have an opening in each end of each wall through which the driving chain pins extend. A

to ta slot 27 is formed in each corner of each tray, the purpose of this slot being to allow the soda Water to filter therethrough and enter the bottom of the tank l5.

The driving chains consist of outer links 28 Which are alternated With inner links 29 and held together by pins 30. These pins 30 are lprovided With a Vllat section 3l adjacent to their outer end which co-acts Wi li a correspondingly shaped openingl 32 in the outer links 23. Thisflat section restrains the pin from rotating relative to this linie The pin is further held from axial movement relative to the link by means oi a cotter key 33.

A bushing 34 is rotatably mounted on the pins 30 between the inner links 29 and is free to rotate relative to this pin 3() butis restrained from rotation relative to the links 29 by a. llat portion on the bushing similar to portion 3l. A roller 35 is rotatably mounted on the outside of the bushing 3l land is used to support the chains and trays on the tracks 21 and 22. rllhe adjacent openings in the extending portions ot side Walls 26 are pivotally connected by the inner ends of the pins 30.

From the foregoing description, it may be seen that the trays 23 are flexibly secured together by the inner ends of pins 30 and that these pins are restrained -from rotation relative to one of the trays 23 by reason of their being non-rotatably mounted in the links 28. It is important that pin 30 is held from rotation as otherwise the openings in the sidewalls Would be excessively enlarged in a short time and cause failure oi the conveyer. It is likewise yimportant,

hat the bushing 34 be held from rotationr relative to the links 29 to thereby prevent elongation of the openings in the ends of these links. Practically all the friction et the roll 35 is taken on thevouter Wall ot the bushing 34 which amply proportioned l e this load.

At spaced intervals along the conveyer, or as in the construction 'showin at each fourth traynl the' right and left hand link pins 3G are formed ol' a continuous rod which extend s the full Width oli the conveyer to thereby relieve the trays of any bending action due to the load therein. and to keep Vthe chains uniformly spaced .independently of theconveyor trays.

Tliigure shows a junction of one of the brauch conveyer lilies 1l with the trunk line l() and illustrates how the branch line ll is elevated and driven at this end Where it joins the trunk conveyer 10., This'view also illustrates the construction whereby both the conveyors are placed directly on the door other.

A sprocket 3G is driven through a suitable reduction gearing by means of an electric and still discharge from one to( thek motor" 37 to thereby drivel theconveyr. A guide sprocket 38 is.V mounted :in line with .the top conveyer` chain to..insure a horizontal pull on the conveyer. The chain is,

of'course5 in thelorm of acontinuous belt and a suitable sprocket on the ,outer end of the conveyer is provided in the conventionalA manner. There are many methods applicablefto the driving of the conveyer system,4 anyone of which may be used in this parte Which forms an outlet for-'the Soda Water. The soda Water Y isthenrunrom the openings 39 to la main settling tank through suitable piping 5 twill be understood that this lconveyer construction is such :that material conveyers can be placed above these chip conveyors for thepurpose of carrying? materials to and from the Workmen. Y

y Among the manyr advantages arising from the use` of my improved conveying system it should: be recalled that I :have provided a conveying systemw'vhich may be installed in any existing building Withoutexpensive al.- terations to the building. Further, the sys-k tem is soconstructed'that additions may be made at any time Without stopping or changing the existing conveyer system or in any Way interfering With its operation; Further7 Vthe system is so arrangedl that ample aisle space is provided between the-machines, and the system is flexible enough to permit machines of any size or proportion lWhich maybe necessary to the manufacturing to be used. n f Y A further advantage results in that the chips are carried in oneV direction toatrunk line conveyer'and the soda Water deposited in the conveyer With thefchipsis carried in the opposite direction to a settling tank, thereby eliminating to a large extent the Vcomplicated piping necessary to carry the soda Water. Further, the conveyer is constructed from aA series of duplicate parts reasonably be included Within the scope thereof. y

I claim as my invention: In a portable conveyer adapted to separate solids from liquids, a channel shaped trough ormed freni a single sheet of metal the edges of which are bent upwardly to form side members integral with the bottom of the trough, a pair of longitudinally extending angle irons fxedly secured Within the trough to the intermediate portions of the side members, a rail secured to the upper face of eaeli of the inwardly projecting legs of said angles to thereby form a conveyer track, a plurality of transverse braces extending between each of said angle irons and secured to the lower face-s thereof, aseeond pair of rails extending Within said trough and secured to the bottomthereof to form a return track below the first mentioned track, a continuous oonveyer disposed Within .said trough having perforated trays Yveyer havin thereon adapted to retain solid material and allow liquids to filter therethrough, said cona plurality of rollers Vsecured along the e ges thereof adapted to operate upon said tracks, 'an inwardly and downwardly inclined plate secured to each upper edge of said side members, whereby liquid deposited into said trough will be conducted into the. perforated trays from which it Will lter therethrough intoV the liquid-tight trough, and an outlet pipe for said liquid disposed in one end of said trough. Y

- February 14, 1929. Y

- CHAS. E. SORENSEN. 

